Type-composing machine.



No. 700,34l. Patented may 20, |9o2.

T. LANSTON. 7 TYPE GOMPOSING MACHINE. I

r (Applimtion filed Feb. 8, 1902.) (N0 Modal.)

2 Sheets-Shea l.

m: NORRIS VEIER: co.. PHwo-umn, wAsnmsTpN. I c

Nu. 700,34l.

Patented May 20, I902. T. LANSTON. TYPE GOMPOSING MACHINE.

( Application filed Feb. 3, 1902.

' 2 sheets-sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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PATENT OFFICE.

TOLBERTLANSTON, or WASHINGTON, .ms'rmor OF COL MBIA, nssrcnon TO LANSTONMONOTYPE MACHINE COMPANY,

or WASHINGTON, DIS- TRIOT or COLUMBIA, A coRPoRATioN'oFVIRGI IA.

TYPE-COM POSlNG MACHINE.

, SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters rat-ea No. 700,341, dated May 20,1902. Original application filed March 6, 1901 Serial No. 50,170.iDivided and this application filed February 3, 1902. Serial i No92,468. (No model.) a

To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, ToLBERTL'ANsroN, of Washingtom'in the District ofColumbia, have invented certain new'and useful Improvements inType-Composing Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specifica- 16 tion, andto the figures of reference marked thereon. l This invention relates tothat class of automatic type-composing mechanisms in which the selectionof the characters is governed by a controller or record-strip providedwith ap propriate signals or perforations-as, for ex ample, in theLanston system for the produc-' tion of justified lines of type. Asheretofore generally practiced said system involves the 20 use of twodistinct and separatemechanisms, the one for composing thecontroller-that is, applying the selected signals in proper sequenceandthe other for composingand as sembling the type in justified lines, saidtype a 5 composing mechanism .being provided with devices for,interpreting and responding to the signals of the controller. In thecontrollercomposing mechanism the type-signals are formed in theorderjof composition and'the 3o aggregate width'ofthe several types ismeas-' ured to determine the justification-fraction, after which the"justification signals are formed, the latteroccupying a position in rearof the type-signals for the line; but in 3 5 the type-composing machinethe justificationsignals are required to operate in advance of thetype-signalsto set thejustification devices for the line. Consequentlythe controller as it comes from its composing mechanism is 40 notadapted to be delivered directly to the type-composing machine, but mustbe re versed, so that the justification-signals will precede thetype-signals of each line, with the result that the matter is composedand as? sembled in the reverse order of composition. To avoid thisreversal of the controller and to enable the functions of the twocomposing mechanisms to be united in a single machine, the controllercomposing mechanism has been anism and in regulating or governing the acso changed and'its actionmodified that the 5 justification-signals,although produced, as before, subsequent to the: type-signals for eachline, instead of being'located in rear, are located in advance of saidtype-signals, so that the controller as it leaves its composingmechanism is in condition to be delivered directly to the type-composingmechanism. I

The novel features of this improved con-.

Serial No. 50,170, of which this is a division.

' In this new machinethe controller and type i composing mechanisms areunited in a single machine and'each is provided with aseparate feedingdevice for advancing the controller; but as one of these mechanisms ismanually controlled, whereas the other is automatic and power-driven, itis 'not practicable to synchronize the actions of the two feed mechan=isms without thereby limiting the capacity of the machine. jConsequently the feed mechanisms are made independent in action, so theymay operate simultaneously or dissimultaneously upon the controller andat the same or differentrates of speed. Under these conditions theoperator is at liberty to proceed with the composition of signals whilethe typecomposing mechanism is either inor out of action, and when inaction he is permited, if able, to compose at a speed in excess of thefeeding rate'of the type-composing mechan isms; but if, as is frequentlythe case, the composing of the controller is arrested or the rate ofproduction falls below that of consumptionat the type-composingmechanism there -is-danger that the controller will be broken, torn, orotherwise seriously damaged or disarranged.

The object of the present invention is to harmonize the Workings of thetwo mechan- 9o isms thus connected through the controller orrecord-strip and to prevent accidental rup 'ture of the latter shouldthe speed of the type composer exceed that of the operator at thecontroller-composing mechanism, to which v end the invention consists insupplying a speed-controllerforthetype-composingmech= tion of saidspeed-controller through the agency of the controller or record-stripitself, so that whenever the surplus strip between the two feed devicesis taken up or reduced to a predetermined amount the speed-controllerwill be actuated to diminish the speed of the type-composer and reducethe rate of consumption to that of the supply, and in case the supply iscut off, as when the controllercomposing mechanism is arrested, thespeedcontroller will be actuated to stop the typecomposing mechanism orthe feed thereof before a rupture of the controller can be effected, allas hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being set forthin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of thecontroller-composing mechanism and a portion of the type-composingmechanism as arranged for conjoint action. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of'the combined machine, the type casting or composing mechanism beingrepresented diagrammatically. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of thespeedcontrolling devices.

Similar numerals in the several figures indicate the same parts.

For purposes of illustration the present invention is shown as appliedto a combined controller-composing and type-casting machine, of whichthe type-composing element 1 is that of Patent No. 625,998, while thecontroller-composing element 2 is the keyboard forming the subject ofthe before-mentioned application, Serial No. 50,170, of 1901, to whichreference is made for a more detailed description. Suffice it to say forpresent purposes that the controller-composing mechanism or keyboard 2is one competent to produce the type designating and justificationperforations or signals by the manipulation of appropriate keys, that itis furnished with feeding devices 3 for advancing and delivering therecord-strip or controller 4, and that the justification-signalsalthough produced after the series of type-signals representing a lineof composition are located in advance of said type-signal.

The type composing mechanism 1 is provided with a controller-feed 5, ajustification mechanism responding to the justificationsignals, and atype-making and line-assembling mechanism responding to the type-signalsto produce successive type and assemble them in justified linesaccording to the signals contained in the controller. All the movementsof said type-composing mechanism are derived from a main shaft 6, drivenfrom a suitable motor, such as the electric motor 7 To thetype-composing machine or its motor, preferablythe latter, is connecteda speedcontroller competent to vary the speed of the machine and toarrest the motion of the latter. Thus in the example illustratedinvolving the use of an electric motor the speedcontroller may take theform of a rheostat or equivalent device 8, of any suitable form orconstruction, provided with a movable member, such as switch-arm 9,adaptedto engage successive contacts 10, and thereby regulate the speedof the motor by varying the resistance of the main or of a shuntcircuit.

Intermediate the feeding devices of the two composing mechanisms 1 and 2and in position to be engaged by the controller is a roller 11, carriedby an arm 12, which latter is connected to switch-arm 9 through suitabletrans mitting devices, such as crank-arm 13, rod 14, arm 15, shaft 16,and arm 17, the latter slotted to receive a pin on the switch-arm 9. Adashpot 18, connected to shaft 16 through arm 19, serves to regulate themovements of the connecting devices. The connections are such that whenarm 12 is in one extreme position the speed-controller will registermaximum, and when in the opposite extreme position it will registerzero, thereby bringing the type-composing mechanism to rest.Intermediate the two extremes the speed will vary from maximum to zeroin proper proportions. Thus so long as the loop of controller lyingbetween the two feeding mechanisms exerts no pressure upon roller 11 thetype-composing mechanism will continue in operation at maximum speed;but when from any cause, such as the stoppage of thecontroller-composing mechanism or the operation of the latter at a speedinferior to that of the typecomposing mechanism, the slack is taken upand suflicient tension placed upon the controller to cause adisplacement of roller 11, the latter acting through thespeed-controller will effect a gradual reduction in the speed of thetype-composing mechanism, and in case the tension is not in the meantimerelaxed will eventually cause a stoppage of the typecomposing mechanism,and thus pro vent destruction of the controller. A skilled operator maybe able to manipulate the con troller-composing mechanism more rapidlythan the type-composing machine can consume the same, in which event hecan gradually accumulate a supply suflicient to en able him to leave themachine for a short interval and attend to other matters without therebyinterrupting or in any manner interfering with the composition of typeand with the assurance that if detained too long the type-composingmechanism will be automatically slowed down and finally brought to astandstill before damage is done to the controller or disturbanceproduced at the feeding devices. This is afeature of considerableimportance, for should the controller be broken or thrown out ofposition it would result in the production of a false record, affectingone or more lines of composition and a corresponding loss of time andmaterial at the type-composing mechanism.

By locating the feed of the type-composing mechanism in proximity to thegalley 20, onto which the lines of type are delivered in column form,and arranging the controller-composing mechanism in front, so as todeliver the controller directly to the type-composing mechanism, theoperator at the controllercomposing mechanism is enableditosuperv visethe running of the type-casting mechanism without change of position,thereby saving time and diminishing the cost of operation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is 7 1. In amachine such as described, thecombination with a controller-composing mechanism and a type-composin gmechanism, of a speed-controller acted uponby the controller orrecord-strip and acting upon the typecomposing mechanism; substantiallyas described.

2. In a composing-machine containing a controller, a controller composing mechanism, and a type-composing mechanism the latter governed by thesignals of the controller and in combination therewith aspeed-controller for the type-composing mechanism and actuating devicestherefor engaged by the 'conments, to wit; an automatic type-composingmechanism; a controller-governing said typecomposing mechanism acontroller-composing mechanism arranged to deliver the controllerdirectly to said type-composing mech-- anism; a speed-controller for thetype-com-T posing mechanism anda governing member for saidspeed-controller engaged by the con-- troller at a point intermediatesaid controllercomposing and type-composing mechanism; substantially asdescribed.

5. In a composingmachine such as described, the combination of thefollowing elements, to wit; type-composing mechanism;

an electric motor therefor; controller-composing mechanism; aspeed-controller, such as a rheostat, connected to said motor; and acontrol system or mechanism for said speed-con troller in position to beacted upon by the controller or record-strip; substantially asdescribed. v

6. -In a composing machine such :as de-' scribed,'the combination with atype-composing mechanism-governed'by a controller-and provided with feeddevices for the latter lo

